One of gaming’s longest partnerships may have come to an end, as Sony and acclaimed game designer Hideo Kojima have announced that their collaboration on the upcoming stealth game PHYSINT is no more.

PlayStation released a statement on social media announcing the mutual agreement to part ways, though reassured fans that cooperation on future projects is still expected.

Furthermore, Microsoft subsequently announced that they would now be publishing the game, making the title an Xbox console exclusive.

Xbox and Kojima have already established a close relationship in recent years, with Kojima’s horror game OD–a spiritual successor to P.T.–also being published by Microsoft.

Kojima himself too weighed in on the news, clarifying that about three months ago, Sony made the decision to cancel PHYSINT. Determined to keep the project alive, Kojima then sought out the assistance of other publishers, before finally choosing Xbox.

Below is a translation of Kojima’s post in English, as well as the original post in his native Japanese:

“As confirmed earlier through our official channels, in mid-June of this year, we unexpectedly received notice from PlayStation Studios that they would cancel the Physint project. Physint is an important project both to me personally and to Kojima Productions. Determined to keep the project alive, we have spent the last three months searching tirelessly for a new partner. In the course of seeking advice and pursuing negotiations with people across many fields, we found in Xbox a partner with whom we share a common vision for the future, and we have decided to team up with them once again. Please rest assured that development of Physint, our genre-defining action-espionage title, is ongoing and will continue moving forward.”

PHYSINT is the working title for an upcoming stealth-centered action game that has been teased as a spiritual successor to the Metal Gear Solid franchise. Not much detail has been given about the game as of now, only that Kojima has said that it will blend interactive gameplay with cinematic quality unlike anything seen before. “It is a completely new ‘Action Espionage’ for the next-generation,” Kojima stated during the game’s initial reveal at the 2024 The Game Awards. “It will be created using cutting-edge technology and the best talents from around the world, both from film and video games. Of course this is an interactive ‘game,’ but the look, story, theme, cast, acting, fashion, sound, etc… are all at the next level of ‘Digital Entertainment’ that could be called a ‘movie.’”

Sony and Kojima have a strong working relationship going back nearly 30 years. In 1998, Kojima’s title Metal Gear Solid, published by Konami, lit the world on fire with its innovative gameplay and cinematic direction. The game greatly aided in establishing the PlayStation brand as a place to play games unlike any other. Their relationship would continue with not just the Metal Gear Solid franchise, but with Zone of the Enders and Death Stranding also initially being PlayStation consoles exclusives.

What are your feelings about this break-up? Do you think this is more indicative of the direction PHYSINT is going, or of the financial stability at PlayStation, or both? Sound off in the comments below, and follow us for all your gaming news!

Source: PlayStation, Hideo Kojima, Xbox